Knitting-machine.



J. C. RUEDT. mmm@ moms. APPUCAYIUN FILED APK. 22. 19H5.

Patnted Oct. 29, 1918.

1. C. RUDI.

KNITTING MACHINE. APPLmATmN min v3.22. 19m.

1,283,317. Patented out. 29, uns.

5 SHEUSw-SHEE? 3.

fiom Legs l. RUED. KNH'TING MACHINE. APPLwATmN mw Amzz. me.

Patented Oct. 29. 1918.

5 SHEETS-SUSE! 4.

RUD.

KNHTNG MACHINE.

mmcmm win Amis. 1916.

A Patented Ot. 29, 1918.

n SHEETS-SHEET 5.

n Im/verm y Eull -G Ruedi;

-of the circular type, and

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS (jA RUEDT, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, Al-'SIGNOR TO PHOENIX KNITTING WORKS, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l. lomos C. RUEDT, a citizen of the llnitod States, residing,r at Milwaukec, in the county o1" Milwaukee and Stato of lVisvonsin, have invented certain new and useful linpiovcments in KnittingY Machines, of which the following" is a full, clear, concise. :ind mail description, reforenf'iheilig' had to thi- :ii'rompnnying draw ings, forming :i pui-t oi' thi. specification My invention relatoio knittingy inachinw nnd is directed ion-(iid l'i-rtnin iinprovei'ncfiis to the ends` oi' simplicity ot' lonsirnrtion and reliability ol opi-rullini thxl piovi =ion of pattern producing moans in n machine (he provision oi' improved means for striping, determining the pattern, and controlling the weave.

It will he clear to those skilled in the nrt that the machine of my invention may he employed to knit a large 'variety olf articles, but it will be understood that it is particularly adapted to the knitting of articles which, either tin-ally or in the 'process of manufacture. are of integral tubular fornia- .tion. In the piwnliiction of articles of this kind` wherein a circular type machine is eniployed, ii has heen difficult, if not impossiY hle, toprovide :in intermittent pattern with yarns of different ifolii'v 'This has heen dm: largely to thrv inlnreni limitations in the construction oi" the machine and I rave lin'iinated the diiculty hy providing an entirely novel construction which not only secures desired intermittent patterns of a simple nature, but designs of great complication as well.

In knitting; machines of the circular type, operation pi'meeeds from the rotary movement oi" one element relative to another, in respect to the fundamental necessity of feed ing the yarn to the needles, und heretofore it. has4 been the practice in actual machines to mount the hohhins rotatably and to mount the needles stationarily. The fact. that the bohhins rotated together made the employment of any considerable number of them utterly iinpructcahle, due to tangles of the moving strands of yarn and due to the cumbersomeness of such an arrangement. The old mechanism associated with stationary needle cylinders was necessarily such, as a matter of structure, as to leave no open Way for the provision of pattern and stripingr :mechanism and consequently the use of Specification of Letters Patent4 Application filed April 22, 1915` Serial N0. 92,809.

these circular machines was limited to the production ol plain articles of uniform tex ture, and while there have been offered machines for overcoming these difficulties, inun'y ofthe devices offered cover structures which are either impracticahle in view of the romplicuteil nature oll the same or inelective in operation.

l mount the hohhins stationarily and rowie the iii-edle cylinder. What I have'done, liowoii-i; inns# he distinguished from a mere miei-sal oi' parts, since this change entails and goohund in hand with certain nowzl ieiitures of construction, and operation to tinA end of a generally improved device, and l have drawn the appended claims accord-- ingly. By my improved construction I am enabled to employ any number of bobbins, to secure any desired striping, and I am enabled to apply pattern forming devices which not only make the combination novel but are novel in and of themselves.- Rela tive to the striping, I provide yarn changing devices which not only make the -combination novel but are novel in and ofthemselves. The structural features of my nwntion 'are so worked ont as to admit 0i ready .ficiessihility and, as to some parts, convenient interchangeubility.

l shall now describe a specific embodiA nient of my invention by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which:

Figure. 1 is a front elevational view of the middle portion of the machine;

Fig. 2 is ay front elevational View of the upper portion of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View ofV that` portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;...

Fig. 4 is a plan view of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion oi' the operating collar which will he. referred to; and

Figs. (3 to 1() inclusive are detail, res which will be explained when the arts which they illustrate are referred tus f;

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 nlsve, it will he seen that I provide a stations 1l snp orted upon suitable. le s This ta le carries the cylindrical 0 sing 1f within which the vertical, needle cy nder 14 is rotatably mounted, this c linder being carried by e rotatable gear p ate 15, under the table 11 which is operated in a manner to he descrihed presently. Associated with 'tabl l doar chine, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

' positions, ward one the vertical needle cylinder 14 is the horizontal needle dial 16, above which the housin cover plate 17 is disposed.

T have illustrated the needle mechanism only to the extent necessary in order to understand the features of my invention. So far as the needle mechanism itself is concerned, l provide nothing new, and it will therefore be understood by those `skilled yin the art that the yarns are fed to the needles 18-18 and to product the tubular article illustrated at X in Fig. 3. My invention is concerned with the selection, control, and feeding of the yarns by automatic means so as to produce in the article X the proper weaves, patterns, and colorings. It is there fore unnecessary to describe with any fur-- ther partic-ularity the particular operation of the needle mechanism, and l shall therefore refrain from burdening this specification with such matter not necessarily ineluded.

Mounted upon the table 1l are the upright posts 2U- 20, across which, above the needle cylinder and dial, the cross-piece 21 is secu-red by means of bolts 22-22. Upon this cross-piece is mounted the bobbin structure illustrated in Fig. This structure comprises th main central upright post 23 which. near the bottom thereof, carries the spider 24 on each arm of which a bobbin 25 may be mounted. A pair of yarn guiding spiders 26 and 27 are provided so that the strands of yarn leading from the bobbin may be guided independently upward and then down to the feeding mechanism without interference with each other. There are two feeding devices, one on each side of the ma- Eaf'h of these feeding devices comprises two feeding arms 28H28 pivoted at 29 to a supporting member 30. This supporting member is also caxried by the table 11. These feeding arms 28-28 are each adapted to occupy two one position being that of the forin Fig. 3 and the other being that of the rearrward one of the same figure. Vhe the feeding part of the arm, that is the part toward the center ofthe machine, is in the downward position, it is in the feeding position, that-is, yarn carried iii the holes 231-31 is being fed to the needles. This feeding position is adjusted by means of screws 32h32 against the lower ends of which the tail members of these arms eugage, as illustrated in Fig. 3. A pair ol' ram following rods 32 are, provided, each of said rods heilig associated with one of t io armsl 2R, and the lower ends of these rods, as illustrated in Fig. 10, follow the cam surfaces which'are carried on the upper side of a ratchet wheel 34 shown.in Figs. l and In this way, as the ratchet wheel 34 is revolved, step by step, Vas will be described, the cam followerrds V32-32 with a knife member 42 `a developed plane are alternately raised andlowered so as to bring the arms 28--28 alternately into feeding position. This is accomplished by the rotation of the camsB-BS in a manner to be described, whereby the cam follower rods '52l`32'51 may be subject alternately to the low cam surface u and the high cam surface When the cam follower rod 32 is in engagement with the high cam surface the tail portion of the/arm 28 is raised, and when it is in engagement with the low cam surface a. it is lowered by theaction of the spring 35 extending between the tail portion of the arm and a block 36.

Also mounted in the block 36 and another guiding block 37 is a rock shaft 38 to the lower end of which a lever 39 is secured, and to the upper end of which a lever 40 is secured. A link 41 connects the lever 40 pivoted at 43 in a. bracket 44 secured to the top plate 17. The knife member l2 carries the blade 45. Normally this blade is held in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 through the action of a helicalspring 46 connected between the arm 39 and the block 37. 0n its under sidethe arm 39 carries a pin 47 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam to be described. YVhen the blade 45 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 it holds the severed end of the yarn, as will be pointed out, until that strand of yarn is again placed in action.

Surrounding the table 11, as clearly shown in the drawings, is an operating collar 48, upon theaunder side of which an annular gear 49 is disposed, this gear being a bevel gear meshing with the pinion 5() on the power shaft 51 to which power is applied in any suitable manner. This power shaft .3l also carries a pinion 52, this pinion meshing with the annular gear on the under side of the member 15, as has hereinbefore been pointed out.

I /shall new describe the operating collar by particular reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 9.` Upon this collar a swinging member 53 is mounted upon a pivot pin 54, this member being of general arcuate shape. Let it be assumed, for the purposes of description, that the normal position of this Swingin f 1 ember 53 is that shown in dotted lines ifi 4litige. 4 and 5. This outwardly'swinging movement is-limited by th engagement of member 53 in the'U-slniped member 55 secured to the collar 48. It will bb seen now that Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on passing through the center of the pivot member 54`an lthrough the cap screws 5(5*56 which Secure a block 57 on the member 48, the purpose of this block -to be. described presently.

The member 53 isheld in either of its two operative positions by means` of a springpressed plunger 58 mounted in the block 57;, 15W

r rotation.

as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and adapted to engage in one or the other of the noehea 59--59 in the member 53, thu@` lzitehlngf iii-e member either in the position linen ie full line or that shown in dotted lim` Fio'. 5.

The peripheral surfoee o0 of the meaiilier 53 is adapted to he engaged by our or il e other ol' the Contact :irme iW-G pivoter? n.r (S2-432 at diumetrieellv opposite peinte out Side the collar 48. VThese Contact arme or members have to do with the yarn changing and since there are two yarn feeding derieee with associated changing meehnniemq there are two of these Contact iaieeibere el They are of similar construction, as yarn feeding und changing i'oeelimii. Y therefore it is necessary to describe only one. of them and I have given the uml( wie parts in the two arrangements the slime ret erence character. The manner of opeizitieii of the contact members (lwll will now he described.

Extending downwardly from the rota,N table member 15 are the arms 63-63, on. one of' which ai eem shoe (Si is secured. A lever is pivote'l at (5G to e suitable peri of tile frame-Work und is provided at its end with a cam follower 67 disposed in the eirellzir path of the e-im shoe H4. Emili time imt the Cam shoe lill comes around to the 'follower 87 it raises the follower :so ab to eiingf the lever 35 in the direction of the arrow 'lli' against the tension of the gering lili. :l liter the follower (37 has left the ram mi the spring ('S retraets the lever Gli At the opge site end of the lever 65 :i puwl @il ik; piroed 'at 70. Thi?s powl eoperetee with :i mlrlie 71. pivoted ut T? and :L stop piiwl T :1lii reoperutes with this ratchet to 'prevent 1 ii Une of the teeth of the ratchet i is cut deep us illustrated at TL ,eo aim iii-1i the pawl (if) engages with that partirille' tooth, it is enabled to come down into Uriel*- tive engagement with the ratchet to wliieli a plurality of chain W .eele are opeietively connected on the same shaft. It vil] new he understood that this particular n rrongement., S0 far as the ratchet :uid chain wheels :ire coneernerL is exemplary und tl'iese perl5 are interchangeable so that different action muy be secured. The timingV which is seemed by the repented :wtion of the piiwl (if) deter-- minesv the point in the weave where the rmt-- tern comes in mid. :is will lie pointed ont. proper interrata determine the changing of the yarn und. if desired`r the changing oi the nature of the weave. I shell refe: first to the timing' chain 7f3 on the chain wheel T?. It will he noted that the timing rhein Til wir ries certain high links 'f8-TH :it evi-lain io tervnls, and these links. fis they :nimm-,iu uw adopted to engage the roller 7U of the [fox-responding;r actuating bell rrunk SU pivoted nl, 81. The upwardly extending erm ol' this it will flow :wt mende-i iii in, loit l." the loir;

marrow li' Emili lle; :we wi wi" pmptr high linkt; m

shown iii Figi, :mx the Hziitlt il! :mty smv mi' thm!! iii Fig. i..

i 11M uhhh masser:

`voiiixr ronctntriv with to protict ns iirorniilv :is poHSiiiiu finit which muy he non'. i'coiiiingfiy, i hnrt {l1-.nwo rininis to toi'lziin ie'iinhinzitions i'tgfiariiiiss oi' tho spocific ,strnrtin'u of the r'oniiioni-nt vierl nwnt und I havo :liso drawn ifizxini` to spiwiiir trnctureb oi' certain devices whirii, rt-gziri it-Ss of the combination in wiiivh thor :iro fonnii, nro new.

l. in :i knittingl nniciiini n piilr'niitj.' ot' stationnrjir Dobbins. 1i rotzitziiiie nooiiiv v rlin ilir` :i funding hriie inonntvil stsltionairiir :intl roniprising n pinrlility oi' ive-iiinif :ii-nis. om'ii to rloiivi .iaiin t'roni one* oil mii! holiiiin :intl fri-(i the sinne io (iw nfgttlii'si on miel fyiiniiir. nlonm for :iiitlrnntviy bringing;v nii :mns into anni ont of ziciioin foniprlning :i pnir oi' rvrtionllj' slicinhio roi'` t'or lngnging tho feeding' zirins. :i rutrint haring wenn; on its tint und finie for mingling saisi i'ofis. :i nini ioininliin ith saliti nils-ilo v riiniier. anni :in :irvlnlte iti'ni pivotzxiiy monnti-ii on `will roiini' :inii cnr in;r :l (ing 'ifm' znllnitingg saliti rati-iwi. nini :ninpivii to iw mori-ii info oporztiimjiwiiion for :ti-tanning miti musing.

L. in :1 knitting nnivhinv. 1i plnrniiiy ot' Ntntionzinr lioliliins. n r'ofotniiil? noi-ilo iyiiliiitr. novillos ntizingg't-l to i in miei vi'iiniivr into viii-n rvwiring position :mii in ffii? ont ot' 4noch position. :i imttvrn ii ia for :ai soivcteri neetiifs. nii-:im For fouling inrit tliosl liridles in rzaiswi position. invito inni"- tirtin ono punition :uni in :morini vil'eisiw to more nii ne'eiiiis to miwii ivmitiwi. :in oliorilting rollin' inorzihiv vontenit'ivnill. of tinI "riincler. nwnns on .anni c'oiinr i'nr von` troiiingg' thc position of :'ziiii inst. nnnnwi nimm zinii nimmM :iiso on s iii miliari* for rontroiiing sniii i:lrn tending' nit-nim.

3. in :i knitting inzitiiini. :i giilirnlii'r ist" stationary hohliinn. :i i'ointniiiv novellel ryiiw iler. novillos nrrringleii to rino in #nifl ix'iiniiir into lrnrn rvtviring position :uni to full ont ot' auch punition. :i piiiiorn iiisii for rzli in`i 'itt'twi notliiits. nizim4 r'or fouling Yzii'n to thorn' lntilirfs in rniwti position. inminr; inno tiro in onu punition :imi in :lnotinr itfttrtiw to niort nii inifliiw to mioiii poniiion, :in opi-rating ('oiinr infmiiiie vonm-ntiii'zliiy of the vyiiniioi'.y nimm on .anni coiinr for von troiiing;t tinx position of wifi inni minimi nimm. nini infini :sin: n said -oii:n for vonti'niiing #nifl Hirn intiinling infermi.

4. in miniiiinltiini. i: taiiiiiA inning` :i sul porting' irnint, :i ni'eilit ryiineivs' havin; wr tirni iii-Milon. :l rotzetziiiiv opvrniing voiinr'` mnrvnti'it with :inii ontsiiiiA of Sani nvt-lief c riiniivr. :in art-init@ wringing :i1-in zii-riol hy .miti roiinr. miti nl'ni :i pluim-tion.

having :i horixontni urna :nizinivii to im lin-own into tho path of till nri'nzitr swinging nrni io Cimngv its position on the iolntaiiii f-oiiaii :i I'ntciioi, wiieoi haring' :i rvriifzii :imi haring its teeth tiiqioi-Ifii in [in: pntii of tho monili-:iii on the wringing' :itin when the finiti i worm! io iniranfl position.,A zi rotary wint ninfvi iii-winni to miti riiti'iiet` wheel, a mit ot i'slrii i'iviling`l :trim pivotoei to fami rran-n n: tin iii-villen :t mit oi rtrticui rods hihihiv in iivlinliiiiw )urn tooling arms, miei rotin ir j intagli-.wi to ongzigo :it their inurl- "siii ei im Wiiwfl nnel t0 Lligilg@ It iinii' nfinui' Nini .xiii-n iificling arms.

saliti collar. sfiiil igniinr nairig :i rneiini projwtion. :l pattern nnrininnlin. iinrixoninl :irxn rontroiiml by misi v.-,itifri invil'ninimi. siiiii :lrni heilig' :niiiwini ti Ew ihrown in lim path of tho ning'intg :in-:mtu :nw to vhnngftits position on tinA rot iiili roilzir. :i rzitrhil wiiovi inw ingv :i wrm rii in :uni inning its tooth tiis poemi in tim with ofi thv gn'oyivc'iion on the wringing .zwi nnen nini mingling nrin in more-cl to n innur pmiiion. :l rotnrji' cam whtvl :wwnre-cl to anni z'utiin wiievi. n [mir oi' `tarn iii-iiiiigg :trim pirotm'i to food Yarn to t'innomiiwN i pziii of 'irtif'aii rotia. Piltii nini'iit-i lo efnnilgo onli ziriimtl ont' of tin )warn in; ling' firmo. ,miel roiih living Hiitlniiiy nvinniwi :inii :ninptwl to e'iigngo :it their iowmvertif-ai proiirrii'l :ninpioii to im operatori l in :I nnliiiiiw oi tht lflzxrss iiscrilti 2L rotntnhii iiuwilo s'yliniivr. :i rotatable Iingior .oiifii'` nonl'vntric wiiii the ni'mii@ tyiintim' nini nioriiiiiv thortiivitii. :in :irc-natio urn] pivniiiiinr inminivii on .mili ring. miti zirin living :iehiiimi to im nioroii to :in inner position :inii to :ni ontw* pmition. sziiii niullnte nrm iiriring :i rzifiizii iiiiiijtwiinn uni! :in nxini proiliiifin i iii iiiil-i'i if tilt l \iiI1litI, pzliGIli nie-winmx" n Vioimining ihr :irvuattc arm to it imno* position whilix iwiiii ringlr is rotating, un n innig ingv nimmniiipwl to he actuated hy wifi inniini iiroiiwtion inni rnrn rotting nimm minpmi -:J in ngwriitvil hy Suid Vel'- iirfni n' e'iion.

T. in Vomiiinniioin :t i'rzinw. :i rotaiilnbie nmfiiio 'u iiiniivl. n i'otntiiiiiiA i'oiinr vont'entxio 'wih nini inorniilv with sziiii noodle t'yiinihr. ,in :n.fnsiw -iinr pirniziiiy lnonntod on #ziiii ring inni n.iing :i rvriiiai (hinge, mi rxi'ni mitinmi to im mim-ei imiifiiir oi the fwwllv v riinilvz' to lngzlgt mici Yi'riii': i iinngo :nni ininggi thv nwition of :will :xrcnzite :irin on iiitring. }.ii"|'n nnrinininni for moving niif inni' 'minimi in'ni. nini :i fiznn cnttinhfir niwhinisni manin'ining ai. swinging :irni :niiipteii to iin naztnziiioii in' sziiii vcrticzii Hangs).

R. in roniliinntioin :i Polini-(thin Hoodie Cyl indir. i iwiintoliie ring outside of und rotatasie with the cylinder, a swinging arcuate cam arm pivoted on the ring and having an outer and inner position, means for yieldingly holding the arcuate cam arm in either osition, a fiange on said cam arm projectmg axially with respect to the cylinder, pattern mechanism, a movable lever adapted to be swung into the path of the flange to move the cam arm into its inner position, said lever being controlled by the pattern mechanisni, a` projection on the cam arm and yarn changin means cont-rolled by said projection and a yarn .cutter controlled by the flange when the cam arm is in its inner position.

9. In combination, a needle cylinder rotatably mounted on a suitable frame, a concentric ring rotatable with the needle cylin` der, an arcuate cam arm pivotally mounted on the ring, said cam arm having an inner and an outer position, pattern mechanism for throwing the cam arm to its inner position, said cam arm having a projection extending radially toward the cylinder and having a innge extending axially of the cylinder, yarn changing mechanism adapted to be operated by the projection when the arm is in 'its inner position and a stationary cam adapted to engage the flange to move the cam arm toits outer'position.

10. In combination, a rotatable needle c vlinder mounted on a suitable frame or table, a concentric ring outside of and rotatable with the needle cylinder, an arcuate cam arm pivotally mounted on said ring, said cam arm having a radial projection and an axial ange, pattern mechanism for throwing the cam armto its mner position, yarn changing arms adapted to be operated by said radial projection, a yarn cutter adapted to be operated by said axial flange whenthe cam arm is inthe inner position and a stationary cam for throwing the cam arm to the outer position. 1

1I. Tn combination, a stationary frame, a rotatable needle cylinder, a ring outside the needle cylinder rotatable therewith, a, pawl and ratchet mechanism, controlled by rotation of the needle cylinder, a. shaft having a plurality of sprocket wheels driven in unison by 'said awl and ratchet mechanism, pattern chains on said sprocket Wheels comprising a stitch changing chain on one of the sprockets and a yarn changing chain on another of the sprockets, a pair of bell crank levers adapted to engage said chains, a radial slide mounted on said rotatable ring, said sliden having a projection at its inner end, a stitch controlling mechanism operated by said projection, a radially movable cam member mounted on the frame of the table outside of the ring and being connected to one ofsaid bell crank levers, said slide being adapted to be moved inwardly by said cam member, in position to operate the stitch controlling mcchanisiman arcuate cam arm pivotally mounted on the ring, said cam arm having an axial flange and having a radial projection, said yarn changing chain controlling mechanism for engaging the vertical flange to throw the arcuate arm to its inner position, and yarn changing arms adapted to be operated by the radial projection when the cam arm is moved toits inner position. l

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 10th da J' 4,IUS C. RUED'I,A

of April, A. D. 1916;. 

